Reliever Manuel Corpas was removed from the Rockies’ 40-man roster, but hopes to re-sign with the team as a free agent. (Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post)

Manuel Corpas, who provided serviceable innings at times for a depleted bullpen last season, was taken off the 40-man roster this week as the Rockies look to create room for prospects, according to a major league source.

Pitchers Jeff Manship and former prospect Edwar Cabrera, who missed all of last season with a shoulder injury, were also outrighted off the 40-man. The Rangers, who have executives that were with the Rockies when he was signed, claimed Cabrera. Manship cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A.

Corpas, who makes his offseason home in Denver, hopes to return to the Rockies. He can be re-signed as a free agent at a lower cost than he would have earned in the arbitration process. Corpas, who turns 31 in December, went 1-2 with a 4.54 in 31 games.

Rockies manager Walt Weiss said there was never a time during his first season when he didn’t want to return for a second year. He will be back with his next contract expected to get ironed out soon. (Denver Post file photo)

Rockies manager Walt Weiss doesn’t have a new contract. Not yet anyway. Owner Dick Monfort is expected to meet with members of the front office and Weiss beginning Wednesday at the club’s spring training headquarters in Scottsdale.

Those are the players I have seen, in person, hit pitches that have bounced. Former Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said of Guerrero, “His strike zone is from his toe nails to his eyeballs.” One-time Colorado second baseman Aaron Miles compared Ichiro to the Matrix after watching him contort his body to hit a low pitch.

It’s a wonder pitchers don’t have to sign a waiver before facing Yasiel Puig. He’s a danger to himself (at times) and others. His presence — 6-foot-3, 240 pounds — is unmistakable. Wednesday, he sauntered into the batter’s box with the game on the line.

It was the eighth inning with runners aboard. He represented the go-ahead run. It was his first at-bat since he injured his knee on Monday running the bases. Manuel Corpas, a closer in a previous life with the Rockies, welcomed the confrontation.

He struck out pinch-hitter Carl Crawford and steeled himself for Puig. The at-bat reached a full count. Corpas had used his slider effectively twice to Puig. He figured Wilin Rosario would call for it again. But the catcher surprised him, asking for a sinker.

Two-time all-star Carlos Gonzalez connects for a home run against the Yankees earlier this season. He’d love to swing like that again, but his injured finger won’t allow it. (Justin Edmonds, Getty Images)

Carlos Gonzalez’s right middle finger remains swollen, leaving him frustrated and unable to swing a bat. He had hoped to take bp on Wednesday, but the pain prevented it. It raises the question of how much longer the Rockies will allow CarGo to go day-to-day with this injury before electing to shut him down.

He’s available to play defense and run.

“I couldn’t swing. It’s tough. Really tough,” Gonzalez said. “I want to play, but every time I swing and miss, it goes right back to where it was (on July 7).”

Because of the expanded rosters, the Rockies have the luxury of waiting to see if CarGo improves enough to play. Charlie Blackmon, who is 10-for-23 on the homestand, is starting in left field.

Rockies center fielder Dexter Fowler slides safely into third for a triple earlier this season. Fowler started for the first time since Aug. 26. (Morry Gash, The Associated Press)

Dexter Fowler started for the first time since Aug. 26. His sore left knee is better, but he said he still struggles moving laterally. That surfaced in the eighth inning, creating a costly out. With the Rockies trailing by a run, Fowler had a good lead off second base, but was doubled off when Troy Tulowitzki lined to shortstop Nick Punto.

Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado, right, celebrates with teammate Dexter Fowler after hitting a walk-off game winning single to defeat the San Francisco Giants 2-1 at Coors Field on June 29. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)

SAN DIEGO — Corey Dickerson told a few teammates and a coach good-bye on Wednesday night. The outfielder, who made a nice first impression, is heading back to Triple-A Colorado Springs to create a roster spot for Dexter Fowler.

Fowler will be activated for Thursday’s series opener in Los Angeles. Troy Tulowitzki might join him, but he must be re-evaluated before a decision is made. Josh Rutledge is a potential candidate to be farmed out if Tulo returns.

Dickerson outplayed outfielder Tyler Colvin, but as a prospect Dickerson could benefit from regular at-bats.

Juan Nicasio will return to the Rockies rotation after a short demotion because of Roy Oswalt’s injury. (Photo By John Leyba/The Denver Post)

SAN DIEGO — Juan Nicasio’s demotion was short-lived. A strong outing in Triple-A and Roy Oswalt’s hamstring injury have led Nicasio back to the Rockies’ rotation. He will start Friday against Los Angeles in the final series before the all-star break.

The Rockies have not made an announcement, but Nicasio was scratched from his Triple-A start on Wednesday.

Nicasio is 4-4 with a 5.31 ERA. He was farmed out in favor of Drew Pomeranz, who has struggled in two starts. Nicasio went 0-2 with a 6.48 ERA in June with a .299 average against for the Rockies, leading to his demotion.

Oswalt is hoping to just miss one start after straining his left hamstring on Sunday while covering the plate on a wild pitch. That seems overly ambitious.

SAN DIEGO — In need of bullpen reinforcements, the Rockies took a low-risk chance on hard-throwing right-hander Mitchell Boggs, acquiring the slumping reliever from the Cardinals Tuesday in exchange for $206,400 in international signing bonus money.

WASHINGTON — With the offense needing a lift and Dexter Fowler’s finger not healing as he had hoped, the Rockies will add prospect Corey Dickerson to the roster on Friday.

Dickerson, 24, was at the field Friday afternoon, and will be activated. To clear a spot on the 40-man and 20-man rosters, the Rockies will designate reliever Logan Kensing for assignment.

The Rockies have been unable to use Fowler, but he won’t be going to the disabled list.

Fowler was unable to grip the bat, leaving him out of the lineup. X-Rays on his right ring finger and knuckle were negative. He hopes to play Friday. Dickerson provides insurance. But he’s not a center fielder.

WASHINGTON — Adam LaRoche isn’t prone to hyperbole, so his praise of Roy Oswalt carries weight. The Nationals first baseman said Oswalt looked every bit as good Thursday as he did in the playoffs in 2004 and 2005. That’s heady stuff for a 35-year-old right-hander trying to prove he has something left.

TORONTO — Eric Young Jr. will get a chance to restart his career not far from the New Jersey fields where his quickness first drew raves. The Rockies sent Young to the Mets in exchange for right-hander Collin McHugh on Tuesday night.

McHugh, 26, is winless in eight big league games. His best performance came in his major league debut against the Rockies on Aug. 23 last season. He worked seven innings, allowing two hits and striking out nine. He will be optioned to Double-A Tulsa to start, but could move quickly to Colorado Springs.

McHugh is a control pitcher, who hits 91 miles per hour on his fastball. Those who cover the Mets compare him to starter Dillon Gee.

Young was designated for assignment last week, losing his roster spot when his defense regressed and Tyler Colvin hit after being summoned from Triple-A.

As expected, right-hander Tyler Chatwood will join the Rockies’ rotation, filling in for lefty Jeff Francis, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list Thursday with a strained left groin.

There is, however, a twist to the moves. Chatwood will start Saturday night’s game against the Giants and Juan Nicasio gets bumped back a day and now will start Sunday afternoon’s game.

“Chad has certainly earned the right to start, with Jeff going on the DL,” manager Walt Weiss said Friday afternoon before the Rockies took the field and tried to end a 10-game losing streak to the Giants. “I feel really good about him taking the mound. He had a really good outing last time out against a divisional opponent, beating the Dodgers. Hopefully he will perform well against the Giants.”

If Juan Nicasio and Jeff Francis were facing scrutiny before, they are under the microscope now.

Tyler Chatwood, sent down to Triple-A despite his strong two-game performance in a Rockies uniform, made a huge statement to rejoin the big-league rotation.

The fiery right-hander threw a complete-game, four-hit shutout for the Sky Sox Tuesday night in a 5-0 victory over the Iowa Cubs. Chatwood struck out eight and walked none, allowing only one Cubs hitter to reach second base.

After right-hander Tyler Chatwood’s impressive start in Los Angeles last week, and with Jhoulys Chacin coming back off the disabled list to start Sunday’s game against the Rays, the Rockies were faced with a tough decision.

Did the Rockies keep Chatwood on the big-league roster and send Juan Nicasio down to Triple-A? Did they make a roster move with veteran lefty Jeff Francis, who’s struggled so far this season?

In the end, the Rockies decided to keep their rotation intact, sending Chatwood back down to Triple-A Colorado Springs and sticking with Nicasio and Francis.

It’s no revelation to say that the Rockies have struggled to raise home-grown pitchers. But down at Double-A Tulsa, one pitcher is showing sparks of promise.

Right-hander Chad Bettis, who missed the entire 2012 season rehabbing after shoulder surgery, has been very impressive. Bettis, selected out of Texas Tech in the second round of the 2010 draft, is 2-1 with a 3.04 ERA in five starts. He’s struck out 30 and walked only two.

Two starts ago, Bettis pitched 6 2/3 innings, throwing his fastball in the mid-90s and confounding batters with a nasty slider, struck out 11. He allowed just four hits and walked one. The 11 Ks set a ONEOK Field record.

Drew Pomeranz, Charlie Blackmon, DJ LeMahieu and Tyler Colvin are not where they want to be. All four believe they have the talent to play, and thrive, in the majors.

But for now, they are plying their trade for the Triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox. All four are doing it with gusto, intent on proving they belong on the Rockies’ 25-man roster.

Let’s start with Pomeranz. Tuesday night, as the Sky Sox beat Salt Lake 9-3, the big lefty became the first Pacific Coast League pitcher to win four games. He threw six innings, allowing one run on three hits. The lone run came on a fourth-inning home run. He struck out seven, walked three, and induced eight groundball outs. His ERA is a nifty 2.54

In what appears to be a disciplinary move, Rockies top prospect David Dahl was sent to extended spring training following one game in Asheville.

Dahl went 0-for-4 with the Tourists.

“He made some decisions that made us reconsider where he should begin the season. It had nothing to do with his play in Asheville,” Jeff Bridich, the Rockies senior director of player development, told The Denver Post in a text message on Saturday night.

Dahl turned 19 on April 1. The Rockies’ first-round draft pick last season stormed through the Pioneer League, hitting .379 with a .423 on-base percentage, nine home runs and 57 RBIs. He began this season rated as Baseball America’s 53rd ranked prospect in the minor leagues.

Asked how long Dahl would remain in extended spring training, Bridich said, “That’s up to him.”

SALT LAKE CITY –About an hour before the Rockies took on the Seattle Mariners Saturday afternoon for their final spring exhibition game, right fielder Michael Cuddyer was talking about what the club wanted to accomplish.

“We want to get a few final at-bats, and most of all make sure nobody gets hurt,” he said.

Sure enough, Cuddyer and second baseman Josh Rutledge collided in the third inning while chasing down Jesus Montero’s popup to shallow right field. Both players went down, and Rutledge stayed down before he was helped off the field and out of the game. Fortunately, Rutledge only had the wind knocked out of him. Cuddyer stayed in the game.

“I knew it was not a big deal,” Rutledge said. “But he squared me up, for sure.”

Quipped manager Walt Weiss: “I told Cuddy, if this was the NFL he’d be fined for sure.”

HITS: Lefty Jeff Francis, who will start Friday’s home opener against the Padres at Coors Field, pitched a strong six innings, allowing two runs of five hits. He did serve up two homers — to Kendrys Morales in the fourth and Justin Smoak in the fifth — but Spring Mobile Ballpark’s rarefied air had something to do with that. There is no humidor here and the balls fly a la “Coors Canaveral.”

“It was all positives and it was as good a spring as I’ve had in my career,” said Francis, who finished his exhibition season with a 2.76 ERA. “But now it doesn’t matter. The bottom line is I feel good about how I’m pitching, now we go into the regular season.”

Troy Tulowitzki and Todd Helton each belted homers off of Mariners starter Brandon Maurer. Helton also hit a double. Both players finished the exhibition season with three homers.

“Todd has had a really good spring,” Weiss said. “I think his swing is really good right now, and the timing of it has worked out. He didn’t want a ton of at-bats this spring, and he wanted to peak at the right time, as we broke camp. That’s what he’s done and he’s in a really good place.”

MISSES: Starting third baseman Chris Nelson missed Saturday’s game because of a stomach ailment. The club sent him ahead to Milwaukee to recover and to avoid having Nelson spread the bug to his teammates.

UP NEXT: The Rockies flew from Salt Lake to Milwaukee following Saturday’s game. They will workout in Milwaukee on Sunday and then open the season Monday at Miller Park. The first pitch of the 2013 season is set for 12:10 p.m. MDT. Right-hander Jhoulys Chacin starts for the Rockies and right-hander Yovani Gallardo starts for the Brewers.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.